U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 20

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

THURSDAY, MAY 20: FINGERPRINTS

Profile America — Thursday, May 20th.  The first criminal case in the U.S. in which fingerprint evidence was admitted into court occurred this week in New York City in 1911.  Burglary suspect Caesar Cella was convicted by prints identified by detective Sergeant Joseph Faurot.  However, the unique pattern of each person's fingerprints was known since ancient Rome.  Today, the use  of DNA samples from crime scenes is the fastest-growing area of forensic evidence.  These advanced crime solving methods have contributed to a reduction in crime rates.  Still, most recent figures show 1.4 million violent crimes in a year, along with 9.8 million property crimes.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  440 International Calendar of Events, Those Were the Days

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 295

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau